The latest line-up for October 2009's Whitby Goth Weekend is a the best yet! We're back with another two nights of alternative comedy showcasing some of the best acts from the UK circuit.

The MC for both nights is the wonderful Gareth Berliner (http://www.myspace.com/garethberliner). Irresistibly amiable Gareth's act touches on his odd life and perspective. Berliner almost died long before ever becoming a stand-up and this affords him the ability to tell some intricately woven anecdotes and sharply crafted gags with a unique edge.

In 2005 he used this edge when he performed his first Solo show GUTLESS, covering every subject from Superheroes to Suicide, at The Melbourne Comedy Festival before taking it to the Edinburgh festival and receiving 4 stars from The Metro. He then went on to perform the show at The Adelaide Comedy Festival as well as at a corporate level across in the UK.

He also works with Abnormally Funny People in a show that has toured universities around the UK as well as having a sell-out run at The Soho Theatre in London’s West-End.

"The lovely Gareth Berliner" Time-Out
"Gareth Berliner saved the night." Bruce Dessau / Evening Standard
"Berliner is a natural storyteller with more soul than 100 other comedians." Metro Edinburgh
"He's cheaper than Prozac and, by the end of the show, you feel that you've made a new friend." Helen Razer / The Age Melbourne

Friday 30th October: The Rifle Club, 7:30pm.
Tickets: £8 in advance, £10 on the door.
(Advance tickets can be purchased from the Spa).

THE SCOTTISH FALSETTO SOCK PUPPET THEATRE
http://www.myspace.com/scottishfalsetto
Headline on Friday are The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. The SFSPT are the comedy double act that have to be seen to be believed. The stars of BBC 3's Comedy Shuffle and Upstaged, and MTV's Best Show Ever, and the darlings of YouTube bring you songs, sketches, socks and violence. BEST SHOW Nominees, Leicester Comedy Festival 2009, back for their 3rd year at the Edinburgh Fringe.

"For sheer energy and laughs per hour, these comic stockings are the biz – denier miss it." - **** The Scotsman Aug 2008
"A show that will rock your socks off - if only all laundry could be this fun." - ****Three Weeks Aug 2008
"Utterly irresistible" - The Stage
"Hilarious... the Abbott & Costello of the sock world" - Time Out

BARRY DODDS
http://www.myspace.com/barrydodds
Barry Dodds has forged an enviable reputation for himself over the past few years, charming audiences nationwide, with his uniquely tailored combination of disarming Geordie wit and wry, down-to-earth observational humour.

A finalist in both the Jimmy Carr Comedy Idol competition, and Jongleurs Last Laugh Comedy search, and a semi-finalist in the BBC New talent Awards 2005 - Barry has taken the national circuit by storm, with his mix of surprisingly dark and irrepressibly cheeky material.

Fascinated by stand-up from an early age, Barry took to the stage at the tender age of 21, and is now a firm audience favourite at clubs such as The Stand, The Frog and Bucket, Opus, XS Malarkey and many more. With material covering everything from failed culture bids to an obsession with ghosthunting. In 2006 Barry jetted off to Luxembourg where he performed a solo show - and became the first ever comedian to perform on Luxembourg TV.

"Razor sharp humour" - Metro
"winning friends with his energy and spirit…" - Chortle
"Very impressive" - Jasper Carrot
"One of comedy's original thinkers" - Dominic Holland

LEIGH JONES
http://www.myspace.com/leighjonescomedy
In the time since he started performing comedy at the age of 17, Leigh Jones has left school, dropped out of university, got married and subsequently divorced. For some reason, he hasn’t associated performing comedy with failing at life.

Still only 20, Leigh’s youth belies his experience of life both on and off the comedy circuit and can be seen gigging up and down the country at all manner of gig.

A former member of The Comedy Store’s ComedySportz improv troupe, Leigh has performed both stand-up and improv in the United States.

"Confident delivery and a friendly character combined, gives you the Leigh experience that is never far from a laugh. Look forward to keeping up with The Jones’s" - Des Sharples - Mirth on Monday

Saturday 31st October: The Rifle Club, 7:30pm.
Tickets: £8 in advance, £10 on the door.
(Advance tickets can be purchased from the Spa).

DUNCAN OAKLEY
http://duncanoakley.com
"Unlike some musical comics who rely on a guitar to get them through, Oakley's routine deftly mixes the tunes with the stand-up" City Life Magazine

With musical skills that would easily fit into many rock bands, Duncan Oakley performs an infectious mix of musical comedy and stand up with one of his trusty guitars - Maurice (Fender Strat), No.7 (acoustic) or The Lezza (his Les Paul) by his side. With an eye and ear for the silly, rude, playful and downright irritating occurrences of life, Duncan musters up songs that don't just make you laugh, they bury into the recesses of your mind and find you humming a tune with a smile on your face 3 days later, confused and wondering where it’s come from.

Duncan has performed for nearly 10 years on the stand up circuit and performs regularly at some of the UK’s bigger weekend clubs as well as festivals, & Uni gigs. A talented all-round musician Duncan can also perform with drums, piano & harmonica as a one man musical whirlwind.

Welcome to the world of Duncan Oakley...

CHRIS BROOKER
http://www.myspace.com/thebrookerman
Spontaneous, witty and original; Chris Brooker has emerged as one of the hottest free agents on the UK comedy circuit. No two gigs are the same thanks to his unique mixture of top class material and inspired improvisation. Since his debut in 2001, Chris has worked the length and breadth of this country and beyond, sharing his observations and dragging unsuspecting audience members into his world for the night. Anyone in the building can be a part of the show at a moments notice, especially if they can cartwheel.

Now a firmly established force on the Manchester comedy circuit, Chris has a reputation as a superb compere with an infectious amiability that can liven even the coldest rooms. In 2005 he also debuted his debut one man show "Chris Brooker's Path Of Least Resistance" to critical and audience acclaim. Chris is also a part of the ComedySportz UK improvisation troupe based in the North West and the resident compere of Three Minute Warning, the new act night at The Limelight Comedy Club in Crewe.

"Original ideas... Ensures the laughs." Chortle.co.uk
"Very funny... Very quick... On the spot humour." BBC.co.uk
"A fitting finale... The audience was in fits of laughter." StudentDirect

CHRIS TAVNER
http://www.myspace.com/christavner
Warm and engaging, Chris shares his point of view of the world with the audience.  Covering everything from current affairs to the family, his observational comedy ranges from dry wit to the completely absurd.  An assured stage presence, Chris is happy to deliver material or improvise and banter with an audience.

Chris is also a member of the ComedySportz improv troupe ("reminds me of whose line is it anyway at its best" – BBC.  "Funny, silly and smart… loved by all ages in the audience. *****" – Chortle.co.uk).

Based at the Manchester comedy store, he has also performed with ComedySportz around the country, including the Edinburgh festival and the green party national conference.

"Affable... engaging" - Chortle
"Corking set... oozed with confidence" - Frog and Bucket, Manchester
 

For more information about Whitby Goth Weekend visit wgw.topmum.co.uk.
Previous Line-ups:
October 2008
April 2009

(In the event of cancellation the Management reserves the right to change lineup without notice)